About Michael
A finance professional, a father, and an advocate for practical financial literacy.
Michael A. Tortorich, CFA, MBA
Michael is a CFA charterholder and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, with professional experience in corporate finance, planning, and performance management.
He first developed Running the Numbers as a way to prepare his children for important financial decisions. The project grew into a book, an Excel workbook, a video series, and an audiobook with author discussions.
His educational goal is to give readers the tools to assess their options rather than prescribe a single answer.
Financial literacy is a journey. Understanding the framework matters more than memorizing every formula.
Why financial education matters
Financial questions arise long before retirement: whether to borrow, what to study, which car to purchase, or how much to save. Michael believes students should learn to quantify the financial consequences while recognizing the personal tradeoffs that numbers alone cannot capture.